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Monday, December 12, 2011

A recent article from the Oregonian highlights the struggles that photovoltaic manufacturers have had recently as the prices for solar panels have plummeted. A factory in Portland called MEMC Electronics Materials will lay off 100 of its 140 workers.

The article notes that the price of solar-grade polysilicon has fallen from about $500 a kilogram a few years ago to about $25 a kilogram today, putting producers under immense pressure.

There is more positive news down in Klamath Falls. The Herald and News reports that the Klamath Basin has seen an influx of medical professionals. Even though overall area employment has dropped over the last year, "education and health services saw an increase of 180 jobs - the only sector to post notable gains over that time."

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Welcome to the Oregon Employment blog, brought to you by the Research Division of the Oregon Employment Department. We love studying the economy, helping the public, and using numbers all day long! Feel free to ask questions and leave comments because we're here to help!